Toy house



1' 24, 1946. A. A. N U DELL 2,413,152

TOY HOUSE Filed Dec. 6, 194-4 3 Sheets-Sheet l fia 2.

INVENTOR. 1/? rwwe xi? M05415,

Dec. 24, 1946. NU EL 2,413,152

TOY HOUSE Filed Dec. 6, 1944 3 Sheets-Sheet' 2 INVENTOR.

fer/we 4. #00514 BY Dec. 24, 1946 .A. A. NU DELL TOY HOUS E Filed Dec.6, 1944 3 Sheets-Sheep 3 INVENTOR. flew e d nilfleu Patented Dec. 24,1946 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE TOY HOUSE Arthur A. Nu Dell, Chicago,Ill.

Application December 6, 1944, Serial No. 566,945

7 Claims. 1

My invention relates to improvements in the construction of miniaturebuildings or assembly of buildings together with other equipment such,for example, as the well known weather forecaster which is at present onthe market.

In constructing weather forecasters or other similar novelty devices, aconsiderable part of the actual cost of the same lies in the assembly.Wooden and metal forecasters and other miniature building constructionshave been made which require an unusual amount of assembly work, therebymaking the cost of the same prohibitive to a large number of people.Accordingly the principal object of the present invention is to providean improved construction of miniature buildings or miniature buildingsand assemblies associated therewith such as weather forecasters.

A further object of the present invention is to provide an improved typeof construction for buildings of the type described wherein the numberof parts which are employed is reduced to a minimum.

A further object of the present invention is to provide such a buildingconstruction wherein the parts of the same may be assembled togetherwithout the use of glue, nails or other fastening means.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a miniaturebuilding construction emn bodying the use of plastic whereby differentparts of the building, such as the base, the back wall and the buildingproper are made of single molded parts so constructed that they can beassembled together and frictionally held without the use of any otherfastening means.

A further object of the present invention is to provide an improvedminiature building structure of the type described wherein the minimumof parts are used, the assembly is easily and simply effected, yet thefin shed product will be rigid and durable and will not easily becomebroken or out of order.

Other objects and advantages will be more apparent from the followingdescription wherein reference is had to the accompanying three sheets ofdrawings upon which:

Fig. 1 is a front view of a weather forecaster constructed in accordancewith my invention;

Fig. 2 is a cross sectional view thereof taken generally on the line 2-2of Fig. '1; t

Fig. 3 is a plan sectional view taken generally on the line 3-3 of Fig.2;

Fig. 4 is a front perspective view of one type of back wall which Iemploy;

'which I employ with the building structure Fig. 5 is a generally frontperspective view of shown.

In the embodiment of the invention which I have chosen to illustrate, inFig. 1 I have shown a building structure which may be in the nature of aweather forecaster provided with the figurettes I0 and [2 which aremounted on a platform l4 upon opposite sides of a central post IE towhich a moisture absorbent, such as the catgut' l, .is attached. Thecatgut extends upwardly .to a member 20 within which the same may befastened by a plug 22.

In the usual type of weather forecaster, which is now popular, figurettein may represent an old witch and figurette l2 a boy and girl and inregulating the weather forecaster the figures are lined up upon oppositesides of a central wall 24 and suspended by the catgut l.

The miniature house and platform which has formerly been associated withweather forecasters of this type has usually been of wood and cardboard,thereby necessitating considerable nailing, gluing and other fasteningwhich consumed a considerable length of time in the assembly of theunit.

In the assembly of the instant unit, I provide three sections, namely,the house proper 26, the base 28 and the back wall 30. The house 26 maybe provided with a pair of side walls 32 and 34, theroof sections 36 and38 and the front wall section 40. ,As shown in Fig. 1, the front wallsection may be ornamented in any suitable'or desirable manner. Theportion 24 of the front wall is provided with a rearwardly disposedpassageway 42 within which the pivot I6 of the figurettes is suspendedand aligned.

The base 28 may be formed with a floor 44 supported by a plurality ofposts 46. The floor has a pair of com aratively square openings 48therein and parallel guide ledges 50 upon opposite sides of the sameextending rearwardly from the openings '48. Three upright arcuatelyshaped posts 52 are also located upon the floor aligned adjacent therear edge of the same. A post 54is provided to limit the circularmovement of the platform [4 and the figurettes.

The house frame 26 may have a pair of downwardly and forwardly extendingledges 54' formed in the front wall .40 which are adapted to extendthrough the openings 48 in the floor and hook under the same as mostclearly shown in Fig. 2.

The side walls 32 and 34 of the house are formed with notches 56 locatedin their rear edges, said notches adapted when the house is assembled onthe base to receive the aligned arms 58 which are formed integral withthe base 28. The house and base, as thus assembled together, has theportions 56a of the back wall positioned below the arms 58 an the ledges56 resting below the floor 44 of thebase, thus firmlyholding the houseand base together. the side walls 32 and 34 are positioned in the slotsprovided by the ledges 50.

The back wall 30 may now be placed in posi.-.

tion and fixedly held there by means of rear the arms 53, the contour ofthe back being such In this position that it snugly fits into the openrear endLof-thep house 26. The ledges 36a'and 38a extend throughthe-openings 38a and 3% formed in theback.

is *easily and quickly accomplished and 'yet when.

assembled, the housewill be comparatively rigidv so that it vwill notfall apart or easily become broken. While-it ispreferable to make all ofthe partsof the-.sameofla moldedplastic, it may. be.

done of pressed cardboardor other material that is suitable for shapingina mold.

While I have illustrated. and described 'a specific embodiment of theinvention, it will be.ap-

parent to those skilled. in the. art that changesv andmodificationsmaybe made in the exactdetails shown and Idonot wish tolimit myself in.

any particular; rather what I desire .to secure and protect by LettersPatent of. the United States is:.

1. A. miniature house construction having openingsin the frontwallthereof for figurettes on a platformsuspended by a catgut andadapted to swing about a pivot andemerge through either ottheopenings inthe frontwall of the house, said construction compris'ingin combinationa. house-portion havingroof3.sections,.-.afront wall and-sidewalls, saidiront'wa'll'having. a pivot. for-the. platform ofsaidstatuettesand.apair of, openings therein. on 1 opposite. sides. ofthe pivot, a.fiat back .wall'portion adapted to fit in the inside edgeof the house portion atlitsopen rear end, apair. of openingsin said'wallportion and a .pairof lugs on the roof sections of said house portionadapted. to engage in said openings. to support said back walliportion',a base portion havingsa floor with a pair of. openings therein, guide.ledges aligned with. said openings; said house portion. havingdownwardly, and forwardly, projecting lugs adaptedlto. engage. in said.openings, a. notchin .the baekedge .oteach ofthe side walLportions ofthehouse portion,-vertically and horizontally disposedlugs on the backedgelof said baseadapted toengage said. notches,. a space between theback edgeof the side walls and .said horizontal .lugs to,receive,,thebackwall portion, and posts .on the fioorof said base against which saidback wall rests.

2'. In miniaturehouse construction the combination of a house portionhavingroofsections, a front and side walls, of a flat back'walLpor: tionand of a base portion, said base portion having a floor with a pair ofsquare openings therein and parallel guide ledges aligned with saidopenings, said house portion having downwardly and forwardly projectinglugs adapted to engage said square openings, a pair of notches in therear edge of the side walls of the house unit, vertically andhorizontally extending lugs on said base adapted to engage said notcheswhereby said house unit and said base :unit'are rigidly assembledtogether;

3. In miniature house construction the combination of a house portionhaving roof sections, a.front and side walls, of a flat back wallportion and of a base portion, said base portion having-5a.:floor:with apair of square openings therein, a pairof spaced parallel guide led esaligned withsaid' openings; said house portion having downwardly andforwardly projecting lugs adapted to engage said square openings, a pairof notches in therear edge ofthe sidewalls of .the

notches whereby saidihouse unit and Isaidbase unit are rigidly assembledtogether with the having downwardly andforwardlyprojecting lugs adaptedto engage saidsquareopenings, .a. pair of'notches in the rear edges -oftheside' Walls of the house unit vertically and horizontally extendinglugs on said' base'adapted'to engage.

said notches whereby said house unit and said base unit are rigidlyassembled together'with the side walls of said house portion positionedon the floor of said base and held between said pairs of parallelguide'ledges, said backwall portion adapted to befitted in the open backendof said house portion held by said'upwardly extending base lugs.

5i A miniature house comprising in combination a roof portion, a frontwall and side walls, a-flatback wall portion adapted to fit in theinsideedge of the houseportion atits open rear end; a pair of openingsin said Wallportion and'a pair of outstanding-lugs on the roof sectionsof said'house-p'ortionadapted to engage in said openings to supportsaidbackwall portion, a' base portion having a floor with a' pair ofopenings T therein, guide ledges aligned with said'openings, saidhouseportion having downwardly and forwardly projecting lugs adaptedto'engage in said openings, a notch in the back edge of each of thesidewall portions of the house portion, vertically and horizontallydisposed lugs onthe backedge of said base adapted to engage said notchesto" rigidly connect the house and b'ase portions together.

6. In miniature house 'construction the com bination of'a houseunit'having' roof sections, a front andside walls, of}. fiat backwallportion anda base portion, saidbase portion having a floor with apairof rectangular openings therein and parallel guide ledgesalignedwith said openings, said house portion'having'downwardly andlaterallyprojecting lugs adapted to engage said the sidewalls ofsaidhouse and said base for downwardly projecting lugs adapted to engage10 in said openings, a pair of notches in the rear edge of the sidewalls of the house unit, horizontally extending lugs on said baseadapted to engage said notches whereby said house unit and said baseunit are rigidly assembled together with the side Walls of said houseportion positioned on the floor of said base and held between said pairsof parallel guide ledges.

ARTHUR A. NU DELL.

